Spring construction.



L. A. YOUNG.

SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2|, 1914.

Patented. July 20, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 21, 1914. Ll a 9 I Patented July 20, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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L. A. YOUNG.

SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED sEPLM. 1914.

1, 146,836. Patented July 20, 1915.

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wuzwtor LEONARD A. YOUNG, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed September 21, 1914. Serial No. 862,677.

" To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEONARD A; YoUNe, a citizen of the United States of America, residing. at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigamhave invented certain new and useful; Improvements in Spring Construction, of. which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the formation of upholstered seats for vehicles it isat times desirable to produce a particular contour, as for example, a swellmg in the seat back to correspond to the 'curve of the back jof the user. This is usu ally attempted by distribution of the upholstery material which is unsatisfactory as it either works out of place or mats down.

This invention relates to a form spring for upholstery seat construction whereby any contour that is desired is readily obtained and whereby applied upholstery maintainsits position.

The invention consistsin the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of one arrangement of a form spring that embodies features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view in detail showing preferred detailsin certain spring constructions; Fig. 3. is a view in detail with parts broken away showing a modification of the invention; Fig. 4 is a view in detail showing one means of securinga forming member; Fig. 5 is a view in detail of a slightly different modification;

Fig. 6 is a view ofa further modified form;

Fig. 7 is a view in'detail showing the combination of the form strip with an auxiliary arch spring; and Fig. 8-is a view showing another 'modification of the reinforcing forming member.

As herein shown aspring band 1 of suitable material is bent at its upper or lower end to form arolled edge and is also inturned at the-other end for support on the top and bottom or front and back members of a back or seat frame. The length of the strip is such that it takes the usua-l elliptical curve to arch over any body springs or like construction that is used. A form member 3 of desired length is bent to give the proper" set or curve desired, and is provided with flanges a which grip over the margin of the band 1 and impart the desired contour to it for the length of the form. Preferably the members 3 are disposed in pairs as indicated in Fig. 6 that are arranged opposite each other and are held by suitable means as by slips 5.

The end portions of the band 1 are arranged to be secured to the seat frame in such manner as to prevent their being so fixed at any one point that they tend to sharply bend and become crystallized. One such means of holding them is shown in Fig. l in which the lower end portion 6 is thrust through a slot in the body of a U-shaped member 7 which is in turn clamped between the U-shaped flanges S of frame members for carrying thebody springs 9. The upper rounded portion 10 of the strip is secured to an off-set portion or upper margin of the frame by passage through an upper slotted bar 11 and a lower slotted bar 12. Or the construction shown in Fig. 3 may be used where flat strips 13 and 14 have tongues 15 or ears 16 gripping the band. This not only imparts a permanent formation to the end portions of the strip, but holds them in such a manner that they have slight longitudinal play in the supports and therefore do not tend to crystallize and snap off as if held without chance for movement.

Various forms of the forming members may be used. As shown in Fig. at it may consist of a strip 17 with inturned edges 18 in which case the other holding members 5 are omitted. Or there may be a pair of crimped wire members 19 applied with the flat oppositely disposed portions spread to embrace the margin of the strip alternately. In suchinstance clipsQO hold the forming members in place. As shown in Fig. 6 these forming members may be applied at more than one place and in such instance a body spring 21 is preferably usedopposite the unreinforced portion of the band 1 so as to operate as an auxiliary spring when the form spring becomes partially depressed.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5,

forcing spring may be an auxiliary arch 2 2, A

a portion of which is secured bysuitable clips 23 against the inner face of the band 1 at that portion which it is desired to render comparatively rigid and permanent in con tour. Or the end portions 24 of the band 1 itself (Fig. 8') may be extended back from the supporting members 25 and securely fastened against the under face of the band by cross strips 26. The latter aswell as the corresponding parts shown in Fig. 6 are arranged to be moved up and down on the band to produce the desired result at the proper point.

It is understood that while the remand method of securing the ends of the band are preferably as herein illustrated, the band may be otherwise suitably counted as de. sired in a. back frame or seat frame in sucha: manner-as to give the desired rounded edge and the cross sectional contour. The forming member maybe applied on the band at the place desired and there secured by pinching down the ends of the flanges, or otherwise fastening the parts in place.

Of course the form spring may be used in combination with a row of springs mounted on suitable strip members as indicated in Fig. 1 and enough of these sets may be supplied to complete a back or seat. Whatever construction is used, the result when the upholstery is applied is a spring construction that presents the desired conformation and retains applied upholstery in the desired shape. Because of the ability of the person assembling the spring to move the forming member up or down the band or form spring, it is possible to arrange the parts of a curved tonneau back or the like with the exact curvature desired.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim is 1. A form spring comprising a'resili'ent band adapted to be secured near its extremities to the supporting means of a spring structure, and means longitudinally adjustable thereon adapted to impart a predeter mined permanent contour to the band for a portion of the length of the latter.

2. A form spring comprising a resilient band having curved extremities by which it is secured to a spring seat structure to arch thereover, and means adjustablymounted on the band and adapted" to impart a permanent contour longitudinally of the band to a portion of the length of the latter. 3. A form spring comprising a resilient band adapted to be, supported in arched relation over a spring seat structure, and forming means longitudinally adjustable on the band and having a permanent contour to Whichit confines a portion of the band to which it is applied.

4. A formsp'ring comprising a band of uniformly resilient material adapted to be supported near its extremities in arched ;re-' lation to and over the body springs of a seat structure and forming means having a permanent predetermined longitudinal contour ancl'adjustably engaging the band for a portion bf its' leng'th whereby the engaged portion is bent to eon-form t'ofsaid contour.

Iii" a spring seat" structure, a form spring secured near" itsinbent extremities to the spring supporting members to arch over body springs and forming means adju'stably mounted on the band for maintaininga pre determined contour in the engaged porti'cn of the band, the extremities 'of the band having liinitedlongitudinal play at the point of connection to the spring and sup;

porting means.

6. A form spring comprising a resilient band adapted to besecured as-anarch spanning the body springs 'of a seat structure, and forming member of predetermined longitudinal contour adapted to grip a marginal portion of the band and to hold that part of the band to which it is applied to the desired contour. I

7; A form spring comprising a resilient band adapted to be bent into substantially regular arch between its ends, and a forming member having oppositely disposed flanged portions adapted to grip a marginal portion of the band between them and confine the band for the length of the member to the desired contour.

8. A form spring comprising a resilient bandad-apted to be bent into substantially regular arch between its ends, a forming member having oppositely disposed'fianged portions adapted to grip a marginal portion of the'band between them and confine the band for the length of the member-to the desired contour, and means for retaining the forming member in adjusted position.

9. A form spring comprising a resilient band adapted to be supported as an arch over the body springs of a seat structure, and means longitudinally adjustable on the band adapted to locally deform the band from the natural arch thereof for a portion of the length.

1.14e,sse 8 10. The combination with a springband In testimony whereof I afiix my signature bent to fdorm a]; arch for-1a seat structur? {if in presence of two witnesses. means a justa secure to a ortion 0 t e band between 18s ends and adapted to con- LEONARD YOUNG 5 fine a portion of the band to a predetermined Witnesses:

contour, yieldingly supporting the confined OTTO F. BARTHEL, portion of the band. ANNA M. DORR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

